Human Rights

On December 4, the Slovak Constitutional Court rebuffed an attempt by conservative politicians to outlaw abortion. Members of the Christian Democratic party had challenged the country’s abortion law, which allows the procedure upon request during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, on the grounds that it violates the right to life of fetuses. The Center submitted a friend of the court brief in the case, arguing that giving rights to fetuses would allow legal claims that undermined women’s fundamental rights to equality, health, life, and privacy. The Center had made a similar argument in 2003 at the European Court of Human Rights in another case involving fetal rights, Vo v. France. In that case, the court declined to give a fetus the legal rights of a born person. The Slovak case is the first in which a national-level high court has applied the Vo v. France ruling.

On December 4, the Slovak Constitutional Court rebuffed an attempt by conservative politicians to outlaw abortion. Members of the Christian Democratic party had challenged the country’s abortion law, which allows the procedure upon request during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, on the grounds that it violates the right to life of fetuses. The Center submitted a friend of the court brief in the case, arguing that giving rights to fetuses would allow legal claims that undermined women’s fundamental rights to equality, health, life, and privacy. The Center had made a similar argument in 2003 at the European Court of Human Rights in another case involving fetal rights, Vo v. France. In that case, the court declined to give a fetus the legal rights of a born person. The Slovak case is the first in which a national-level high court has applied the Vo v. France ruling.

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) today welcomed the order of Nepal's interim Legislature-Parliament instructing the Government of Nepal to draft a law on enforced disappearances that is in line with the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances and the 1 June 2007 judgment of the Supreme Court of Nepal.

Responding to "repeated attacks" by animal rights extremists, the AAAS Board of Directors has issued a new statement in defense of scientists' right to responsibly use animals in research, testing, and education."The use of animals in research continues to make critical contributions to understanding basic life processes and to the treatment of human disease," the statement says. "...AAAS recognizes and supports the right of all citizens to protest and dissent from policies with which they disagree. On the other hand, unlawful and dangerous actions should not be tolerated."